SPCA TIPS FOR PET SAFETY

In North America, 10 million pets go missing each year. On average, one in three pets will go missing in their lifetime.

“So get your pet ID’d, that’s one of the ideas we are always harping on whether it’s an indoor or outdoor pet,” the B.C. SPCA’s Lorie Chortyk said. “It is so preventable, if your pet has been ID’d we can get them home right away to heartbroken families.”

The B.C. SPCA offers five steps to follow when your pet takes off:

Time is of the essence, so search the neighbourhood, talk to neighbours, place one of their toys outside (the scent may draw them home, use a litter box for a house cat), put up posters.

Post to social media, search dedicated online sites.

Make sure your pet’s ID registration information is up to date.

Visit shelters, city pounds and vet clinics.

Don’t give up. Some animals are found after going missing for months. Cats usually hide close to home, according to the

B.C. SPCA. Cases such as the West Vancouver cat that crawled inside a neighbour’s bumper and was found in Burnaby are the outliers.

“Research shows cats usually are hiding within three houses of home, so if you do a very intensive search your are likely to find your cat,” Chortyk said. “And I really encourage people to register even indoor cats because there is always a chance the animal can get out an open door or window.”

Last year, the B.C. SPCA reunited with their owners 3,255 lost animals that were brought into shelters: 2,122 dogs, 1,051 cats and seven rabbits.

“Of all the stray animals that come in, we’re able to reunite 78 per cent stray dogs and puppies,” Chortyk said. “For stray cats and kittens, it’s 18 per cent . ... We really encourage people not to give up, we’ve had cases in which an animal has arrived (at an SPCA shelter) two years after it went missing and been able to reunite it with its family.”